Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling on the Surprisingly Sweet BDSM Romance ‘Pillion’
Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling have opened up about their latest film, Pillion, a unique BDSM romance that blends explicit scenes with heartfelt comedy. Skarsgård plays Ray, an enigmatic member of a gay biker club who enters a dom-sub relationship with Colin, portrayed by Melling, a younger and less experienced man.
An Unconventional Film Experience
Skarsgård, who rarely watches his movies multiple times with audiences, has seen Pillion at least four times in public screenings. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last year and has since toured various festivals before its recent North American release. Skarsgård attributes his repeated viewings to the dynamic audience reactions, noting how the film shifts between comedy and somber moments depending on the crowd.
"It can play in so many different ways," Skarsgård said in a recent interview. "It’s really fun to see and feel the energy in the room, how sometimes people really lean into the comedy and sometimes it feels more somber and heartfelt."
Navigating Sexuality on Screen
Director Harry Lighton joined Skarsgård and Melling for a candid discussion about the film's portrayal of sex. When asked if Pillion is sex-positive or sex-negative, Lighton resisted simple categorization, describing it as "sex net positive." He emphasized that the film follows Colin's journey of growing into his sexuality, which involves both ups and downs.
"For me the film’s about someone trying to grow into his sexuality," Lighton explained. "And that’s always going to be a bumpy road. But where he ends up is with more knowledge and practice."
Lighton was adamant about not sanitizing the sex scenes, ensuring they were depicted openly on screen without camera tricks that might imply judgment. He received strong support from executives for this approach, though the screenplay was even more explicit than the final cut.
Character Insights and Breakthrough Roles
Skarsgård delved into his portrayal of Ray, a character who remains mysterious throughout the film. He enjoyed finding subtle clues in the screenplay, such as Ray's choice of books, glasses, and tattoos, to add depth without explicit backstory. "I love the little clues that Harry put into the screenplay and the fact that it’s never really spelled out," Skarsgård noted.
Regarding Melling's performance, Lighton highlighted that this marks Melling's first lead feature film role, though Melling expressed discomfort with the term "breakthrough." "If you as an actor start considering this is, like, the moment or the breakthrough moment, you’re sort of done for," Melling said.
Family Reactions and Mainstream Potential
The conversation took a lighthearted turn as the actors shared family reactions to the film. Skarsgård watched it with his father, Stellan Skarsgård, who loved it, while Melling's parents also enjoyed it, though he missed seeing it with them. Lighton joked about his mother's positive response, contrasting it with more avant-garde cinema.
When asked if Pillion could become a mainstream hit like Heated Rivalry, Skarsgård was skeptical but hopeful. "Hopefully it can appeal to a lot of people," he said, noting positive feedback from the BDSM community. Lighton added that taking creative risks can lead to both exciting material and commercial viability, drawing parallels to independent film successes.
Overall, Pillion stands out as a film that challenges conventions, offering a blend of explicit honesty and surprising sweetness in its exploration of love and identity.
